Police Chief Points Gun Toward City Councilman

BLAKESBURG, Iowa — A small town police chief is facing big time trouble after pulling his gun out twice at city hall, one time pointing it toward a city councilman.

Security video taken inside Blakesburg City Hall shows Police Chief Bob Lewis pointing a gun toward a city councilman. The video shows another city council member touches the chief’s arm while he is leaning on a window, then he draws his gun and points it towards a city councilman who is behind a thin door.

“Oh yeah, it was stupid,” Blakesburg Mayor Jason Myers says, “Whether or not he knew somebody was on the other side of the door, I mean, I feel that he probably did.”

City Councilman Bill Hinshaw says, “It was done in bad taste. It may have been supposed to be a joke but somebody who is in a position of authority…it’s something that never should have been done.”

The police chief did not respond to our request for a comment, but he tells city council he was just testing out his holster to see how fast he could draw his gun if he had to.

“It just doesn’t seem to me that that’s what he would do,” Hinshaw says, “He could have done it anyplace else but you don’t point it at someone.”

And that’s not all. The security video was taped back in April, but Chief Lewis was just reprimanded about it during this week’s city council meeting. So he drew his loaded weapon again during the crowded meeting to show city council a round was not chambered.

“He took the clip out and laid it on the bench there which I appreciate him doing that but there are some people that are very concerned about that,” Hinshaw says, “Should it have been done? Probably that wasn’t the best thing to do.”

The mayor says Chief Lewis should be punished. He’s just not sure yet how. “I don’t want to ruin a person’s career,” Myers says, “I just don’t know. It’s just so tricky. And I consider Bob a friend but at the same time I gotta look out for the community.”

Dan

Just when you get to thinking all cops are respectable, honest, jedi like in their mastery of weaponry.
Always justified in whatever they do, whether it’s speeding, stealing donuts, hookers on the job, and examples of this, reminding people that they are human too. Not all of them are the smartest, greatest, rocket scientist’s some people think they are. They are just like any other job, some guys mess up. Some don’t think right all the time. They make their mistakes too.
In Iowa, a cop gets qualified on the range, gets his little badge, handed a car, and has a year before he has to go to school for the job. They don’t let hair stylists do that.
So, give him one bullet. Make him put it in his pocket. And problem solved.
Make him go back thru his 4 hour class on weapons.
I do notice there isn’t any cops trying to justify this one. And he didn’t even shoot anyone…. yet.

“Yet” is the operative word. Someone this trigger happy in a position of public authority is going to shoot someone, and fairly soon. He will find a way to end up firing that thing into someone. Sure as shooting!

Easydecision

Maybe someone should check into this guy’s past employment history. Surely there is a reason why he is no longer a cop in Bloomfield, Centerville and Pleasantville. Seems like that is something that probably should have been looked into before he was hired here. I would say that should help with his performance review and the decision of the mayor and council!

Smarter than you

This guys a joke

I would like to tell you something that happened involving Bob at a youth wrestling practice in 2013 in Centerville. My son and Bob’s son were attending this practice. My son walked in the room to begin practice and Bob called him a little sissy while I was sitting right there. I said don’t call my kid a sissy and Bob got real hasty and pulled out his gun and laid it next to him on the wrestling mat. He has a temper and is dangerous. I hope you consider this as you make your decision on Bob’s future. He has also had altercations with the wrestling coach the one who coaches the practice that our sons were at.